Help For AJ After His Transplant
Donation protected
AJ’s Story
#helpajskidney
 Anthony( aka AJ), age 14, has suffered through Chronic Kidney Disease his entire life. He was born with only one kidney. That kidney had many problems such as hydronephrosis (fluid in the kidney which couldn’t drain properly) due to reflux from his kidney to his bladder. He was also diagnosed with Chronic Renal Insufficiency and later, Renal Failure.
He had many other problems as a result of this disease including failure to thrive, acid reflux, short stature due to renal disease, difficulty eating and drinking, anemia, nausea and extreme fatigue.
He has been treated by the amazing nurses and physicians at A.I duPont Hospital’s G.I and Nephrology department. He had frequent clinic visits and bloodwork to keep track of the disease’s progression. The doctors gave him a G-tube for overnight feedings to help keep his nutrition up and keep him hydrated. Due to the kidney disease stunting his growth, he needed nightly growth hormone shots. The biggest treatment for his disease was one he recently received on April 16, 2019 – a lifesaving Kidney Transplant. 
The doctors always told us, “The transplant is not a cure. It’s trading one disease for another.” What they meant by that is, yes, he would no longer be in kidney failure. However, the medicines needed to keep the kidney healthy and accepted by the body cause other issues. For example, antirejection medications suppress the immune system so that the body will accept the organ. In doing so, he has a lower immune system and is at greater risk for infections and illnesses. He needs close follow-up to ensure he doesn’t go into rejection. They also monitor his risk of infections, blood pressure, and overall health.
Why are we raising funds to #helpajskidney ?
The costs of his kidney disease, the transplant, and after the transplant have taken and will continue to take a toll on the family. Anthony’s medicine schedule (almost around the clock) combined with frequent follow-ups and bloodwork requires me to take family leave from work. The costs of gas to travel to appointments along with the cost of meals quickly eat away at the income the family does have.
Here are just a few things related to Aj’s transplant that are not covered by insurance:
Over the Counter Meds not covered by insurance
Materials to minimize exposure to bacteria and viruses
Water – we have well water and he must drink filtered or bottled water.
Travel – Anthony’s hospital and clinic is 85 miles away which is about 170 miles round trip. The cost of gas and meals (especially when he is inpatient take a toll)
Loss of Income – Many times family leave exceeds the amount of paid days out of work. The doctors have stressed consistently that it is imperative AJ take excellent care of his kidney to offer the longest life of it.
He is asked at every visit, “What are the best ways to help your kidney?” He correctly answers, “Take my medicines, drink 2 liters of water a day and clinic visits.” Avoiding infection and eating well are also correct answers in addition to the above. 
Other Ways to #helpajskidney
There are other ways to help our family. Some ideas are:
Our Wish List
a. Sanitizing Wipes
b. Hand Sanitizer
c. Bottled Water
d. Paper Towels
e. Whatever you feel you are able to do
Angel Donor
Transplant is nothing new to our family. In fact, Anthony’s older sister Jackie received a liver transplant at age 10 months and 4 years due to a congenital liver disease. In response to help other children, I have written a book titled Angel Donor. Just purchasing the book will earn me royalties.
Angel Donor (Guardian Angel Publishing ) - I get the most royalties here
Angel Donor (Amazon)
Prayers Pray for continued healing and a healthy kidney. Please also keep Aj’s kidney donor in your prayers as the donor’s selfless act saved a life 
#helpajskidney
 Anthony( aka AJ), age 14, has suffered through Chronic Kidney Disease his entire life. He was born with only one kidney. That kidney had many problems such as hydronephrosis (fluid in the kidney which couldn’t drain properly) due to reflux from his kidney to his bladder. He was also diagnosed with Chronic Renal Insufficiency and later, Renal Failure.
He had many other problems as a result of this disease including failure to thrive, acid reflux, short stature due to renal disease, difficulty eating and drinking, anemia, nausea and extreme fatigue.
He has been treated by the amazing nurses and physicians at A.I duPont Hospital’s G.I and Nephrology department. He had frequent clinic visits and bloodwork to keep track of the disease’s progression. The doctors gave him a G-tube for overnight feedings to help keep his nutrition up and keep him hydrated. Due to the kidney disease stunting his growth, he needed nightly growth hormone shots. The biggest treatment for his disease was one he recently received on April 16, 2019 – a lifesaving Kidney Transplant. 
The doctors always told us, “The transplant is not a cure. It’s trading one disease for another.” What they meant by that is, yes, he would no longer be in kidney failure. However, the medicines needed to keep the kidney healthy and accepted by the body cause other issues. For example, antirejection medications suppress the immune system so that the body will accept the organ. In doing so, he has a lower immune system and is at greater risk for infections and illnesses. He needs close follow-up to ensure he doesn’t go into rejection. They also monitor his risk of infections, blood pressure, and overall health.
Why are we raising funds to #helpajskidney ?
The costs of his kidney disease, the transplant, and after the transplant have taken and will continue to take a toll on the family. Anthony’s medicine schedule (almost around the clock) combined with frequent follow-ups and bloodwork requires me to take family leave from work. The costs of gas to travel to appointments along with the cost of meals quickly eat away at the income the family does have.
Here are just a few things related to Aj’s transplant that are not covered by insurance:
Over the Counter Meds not covered by insurance
Materials to minimize exposure to bacteria and viruses
Water – we have well water and he must drink filtered or bottled water.
Travel – Anthony’s hospital and clinic is 85 miles away which is about 170 miles round trip. The cost of gas and meals (especially when he is inpatient take a toll)
Loss of Income – Many times family leave exceeds the amount of paid days out of work. The doctors have stressed consistently that it is imperative AJ take excellent care of his kidney to offer the longest life of it.
He is asked at every visit, “What are the best ways to help your kidney?” He correctly answers, “Take my medicines, drink 2 liters of water a day and clinic visits.” Avoiding infection and eating well are also correct answers in addition to the above. 
Other Ways to #helpajskidney
There are other ways to help our family. Some ideas are:
Our Wish List
a. Sanitizing Wipes
b. Hand Sanitizer
c. Bottled Water
d. Paper Towels
e. Whatever you feel you are able to do
Angel Donor
Transplant is nothing new to our family. In fact, Anthony’s older sister Jackie received a liver transplant at age 10 months and 4 years due to a congenital liver disease. In response to help other children, I have written a book titled Angel Donor. Just purchasing the book will earn me royalties.
Angel Donor (Guardian Angel Publishing ) - I get the most royalties here
Angel Donor (Amazon)
Prayers Pray for continued healing and a healthy kidney. Please also keep Aj’s kidney donor in your prayers as the donor’s selfless act saved a life 
Organizer
Jennifer Imlay
Organizer
Northampton, PA
